The invention relates to a container for a hypodermic syringe of the type defined in the introductory portion of the main claim.
Hypodermic syringes are used both in medical environments (hospitals, health care centres, etc.) and in the field (at home, accidents, in the open, etc.) It is essential in both situations to ensure cleanliness and an indication as to whether the hypodermic syringe has been used before. This has manifested itself in a wish for several levels of safety mechanisms, also called tamper-proof or tamper-evident mechanisms. There is also a wish on the part of the users for simple disposal after use of the hypodermic syringe. This results in so-called waste management initiatives from the manufacturers.
Separate blister packaging of syringes and needles is known, where the parts must first be assembled, injection liquid must be taken from an ampoule, and the parts must be separated after use. Various types are available from e.g. Becton Dickinson, Sanosafe and Owen Mansfort. It is also known to use rigid packages.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to provide a container for a hypodermic syringe which may be supplied to the user as an assembled whole, and which may be disposed of as an assembled whole by the user after use. Before use, the assembled whole comprises hypodermic syringe with needle, injection liquid, container, plug and closure. After use, the injection liquid has been injected and the hypodermic syringe is totally or partly empty and may have been rendered unusable. The needle need not be bent, broken or be made unusable in another possibly hazardous manner.
According to the invention, the container for a hypodermic syringe of the type which allows it to be seen or observed in another manner that the container has been opened, is characterized in that the container comprises a plug having more than one tamper-proof mechanism. This ensures that the container for a hypodermic syringe may be supplied to the user as an assembled whole and be disposed of as an assembled whole by the user after use, it being ensured that the container has not been opened before it is to be used, and that later attempts at use are rendered difficult.
According to the invention, the container for a hypodermic syringe may be characterized in that the plug includes both a full or divided film connection and a plurality of flaps, each of which constitutes a tamper-proof mechanism. At least two mutually independent mechanisms are obtained hereby.
It has been found particularly expedient in the container for a hypodermic syringe that the plug includes an annular film connection and two flaps.
According to the invention, the container for a hypodermic syringe may be supplied to the user with the hypodermic syringe with injection liquid and needle ready for use. This provides a disposable injection system which is easy to use and dispose of by the user.
Moreover, it has been found expedient that the plug is provided with a plurality of film hinges, a plurality of film connections, a plurality of projections and a plurality of knobs. It is hereby possible to form several different tamper-proof mechanisms.
When two film hinges are provided between the body of the plug and the lid formed by separation at the film connections by opening of the container, and projections are provided between the film hinges and are capable of being engaged with recesses in the body of the plug, and knobs are provided at the film hinges and engage the body of the plug only when the projections are in engagement with the recesses, a particularly expedient embodiment of the container according to the invention is achieved.